Kkaenip Jangajji

깻잎 장아찌 Lightly sweet, garlicky, and salty, with a bit of mint and a touch of spicy heat. Kkaenip Jangajji makes a perfect side dish to accompany Korean grill or Ssam style meals. (Note: Korean references to kkaennip, (깻잎) and tŭlkkae (들깨) are usually translated as sesame leaves.)

Ingredients

4 bunches sesame leaves

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon fine ground red chile pepper

Optional

1 medium Asian pear or Semi Sweet apple, sliced

Final mix

white sesame seeds

fine ground chili pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preparation

Rinse the sesame leaves well in cold water, then drain.

Crush or chop the garlic.

Marinate

Place one perilla leaf in a bowl and drizzle with a small amount of the soy sauce. Repeat with each leaf.

Let stand about 45 minutes to one hour.

Remove the leaves from the bowl, pressing or squeezing gently so that the sauce remains in the bowl.

Place the leaves in a lidded bowl or jar.

Cooking

Transfer the soy sauce to a small pot, add the sugar, garlic, and chili pepper (and optional sliced Asian pear or apple) and heat over medium heat until the liquid just begins to boil.

Reduce heat, add sesame leaves and simmer for three to five minutes, turning often.

Remove from heat.

Use a small strainer and remove leaves from the liquid. Set strainer over the pot so that liquid drains back into the pot, and let cool.

Final Mix

Gently separate the leaves into small bunches (5 to 10 leaves).

Layer the small bunches in a seal able container, lightly sprinkling sesame seed and chili pepper over each layer. Each layer should face a different direction.